Korean J. Pl. Taxon. (2010) Vol. 40 No. 1, pp. 74-77 Wild edible flowering plants of the Illam Hills (Eastern Nepal) and their mode of use by the local community. Amal Kumar Ghimeray1,2, Pankaja Sharma2, Bimal Ghimire2, Kabir Lamsal4, Balkrishna Ghimire4 and Dong Ha Cho2,3* 1Mt. Everest college, Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, Nepal. 2School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 200-701, South Korea. 3Institute of Bioscience & Biotechnology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 200-701, Korea. 4Trivuwan University, Botany Department, Kathmandu, Nepal. (Received 2 July 2009 : Accepted 2 March 2010) ABSTRACT: The Illam district, situated in the extreme North Eastern part (Latitude 26.58N and 87.58E Lon- gitude) of Nepal, is a hot spot for floral diversity. The study of wild edible plants of this region was an attempt to highlight the types of wild flowering plants found there and mode of use by the people of the Illam hills. In this respect, a survey of natural resources of some of the representative regions of the district was undertaken and more than 74 major varieties of plant species were found to be used frequently by the people of the hills. The rich diversity occurring in Dioscoriaceae, Moraceae, Rosaceae, Myrtaceae, Poaceae, Urticaceae and Arecaceae pro- vided the wild angiospermic species commonly used by the people of the hills. Keywords: Natural resources, wild edible, flowering plants, Illam hills Nepal is endowed with a wide range of agro-ecological zones, summer between the months of May and September. Due to large variations in climatic and physiographic conditions, which this wide array of climatic zones, the district is a hot spot for have resulted in a rich flora (Olsen, 1998). Forest is the most diversified vegetation. important asset that provides the basic necessities and the second This district is equipped with a wide range of agro-ecological major source of Nepal’s income after agriculture. The country is zones and conditions, and most of the people of Illam inhabit considered rich in genetic resources of plant species. Recently, in rural areas and are farmers. Moreover, these rural people of Bhuju et al. (2007) have reported about 6,666 species of flowering Illam hills are blessed with a deep knowledge concerning the plants in Nepal. According to Chaudhary (1998), Nepal shares use of wild plants which are consumed at times of drought and more than 2% of world’s flowering plants, while its land area other hardship. Elders and other knowledgeable community comprises no more than 0.1%. In case of fruit crops, 45 species members are the key sources of plant lore. As such, wild-food belonging to 37 genera are reported as wild edible fruits by consumption is very common in rural areas of the hill. Wild Kaini (1994). edible plant products consists of a variety of plants of which Illam district is situated on the extreme North Eastern part leafy and tender parts of stalks, fruits, berries, seeds, roots, tubers (Latitude 26.58N and 87.58E Longitude) of Nepal. It is and corns are mainly used for consumption. These plant products surrounded by Sikkim boarder (India) on the North, West Bengal have been used since pre-historic times by the aboriginal people, boarder (India) on the East and on the West and South there are as a food, as well as traditional medicines (Singh, 1968). Panchther and Jhapa districts of Nepal respectively. The district Therefore, forest resources play an important role in the life has a total area of about 1703 sq. km. The climate of Illam of the rural people for their food, medicine, fodder, fuel, etc. generally is of moderate type but during winter it is quite cold The reason to initiate a study on wild-edible plants was to in the Northern side. The maximum summer temperature ranges document indigenous knowledge on wild-foods to identify and between 22−25oC and winter temperature falls below 10oC and understand better the importance of wild-food plants in the some times even drop down to 0oC. Rainfall occurs mostly in livelihood of the rural people of the district. This paper supple- ments the minor details of some of those economically important *Author for correspondence: [email protected] wild edible angiospermic plants of the Illam hills of Nepal. 74 Wild edible flowering plants of Illam Hills (Eastern Nepal) 75 Method with the help of the references of Bajracharya (1980), Hooker (1878), Hara (1966), Kitumura (1955), Kaini (1999), Mall et al. Regular field trips in different areas of Illam hills during the (1982), Manandhar (2002), Shrestha (1984), and Singh (1968). year 2002−2003 were conducted to investigate the wild edible plants used by the rural people. The people of different age Results and Discussion groups were interviewed and investigated. The identification, vernacular names and information regarding their mode of use The study in the district revealed that about 74 varieties of was recorded with the help of village elders. Likewise, local plant species of which leafy and tender parts of stalks, pseudo- market survey also helped to draw data uses, food values, stems, fruits, berries, seeds, roots and tubers are mainly used for demands and preferences. The investigated plants were identified consumption. Table 1 shows the detail of commonly available wild Table 1. List of wild edible flowering plants found in the Illam Hills of Nepal and mode of use. No. Taxon Family Nepali name and habit Edible parts and mode of use 1 Aconogonum molle Polygonaceae Thotney (Tree) Young shoots used for curry and pickle 2 Anthocephalus cadamba Rubiaceae Kadam (Tree) Seed are roasted and the oil is consumed 3 Antidesma acidum Euphorbiaceae Archal (Tree) Ripen fruits are consumed 4 Arisaema erubescens Araceae Gurbe (Herb) Shoots used as curry after pilling and Corn is eaten after repeated boiling 5 Arundinaria maling Poaceae Malingo (Herb) Young shoots used as curry and pickle 6 Atrocarpus lakoocha Moraceae Barar (Tree) Used as a fruit and vegetable (raw fruits) 7 Bassia butyracea Sapotaceae Chiwree (Tree) Fruits pulp is used as juice and seed is used as culinary purpose 8 Bauhinia vahlii Fabaceae Bhorla (Herb) Seeds are roasted and consumed 9 Bauhinia purpurea Caesalpiniaceae Tanki (Tree) Only shoots are used as vegetable curry 10 Begnonia inflata Bignoiaceae Magarkachey (Herb) Shoot and leaves are used to make pickle and jam 11 Betula cylindrostachys Betulaceae Saur (Tree) Bark is chewed as a substitute of betel nut 12 Castanopsis hystrix Fagaceae Katoos (Tree) Fruits (nut) are roasted and consumed 13 Castanopsis indica Fagaceae Dhalnae Katoos (Tree) Fruits (nut) are roasted and consumed 14 Caryota urens Arecaceae Rangbhang (Tree) Inner core pith and terminal bud cooked as vegetable 15 Chenopodium album Chenopodiaceae Bethusaag (Herb) Young twigs are used as vegetable 16 Choerospondias axillaris Anacardiaceae Lapsee (Tree) Semi-ripen fruits are used for pickle and jam 17 Cinnamomum tamala Lauraceae Tejpat (Tree) Leaves are used as condiment 18 Cinnamomum obtusifolium Lauraceae Sinkauli (Tree) Whole plant use as condiments 20 Citrus decumina Rutaceae Sankatra (Shurb) Fruits are used to make jam and pickles 21 Dendrocalamus hamiltonii Poaceae Tama (Herb) Young shoot used as curry and pickle called “Meso” 22 Dioscorea oppostitifolia Dioscoriaceae Gidha (Herb) Tuber is boiled, pilled and consumed 22 Dioscorea hamiltoni Dioscoriaceae Bantarul (Herb) Tuber and root is boiled and eaten after peeling 23 Docynia indica Rosaceae Mail (Tree) Fruits are consumed, made jam and pickle 24 Elaeocarpus sikkimensis Eleocarpaceae Bhadrasey (Tree) Fruits pulp and seeds are eaten 25 Emblica officinalis Euphorbiaceae Amala (Tree) Fruits are used as pickles and also use as a medicine 26 Eugenia kurzii Myrtaceae Ambakay (Tree) Fruits pulps are consumed 27 Ficus semicordata Moraceae Khanyu (Tree) Underground fruits are eaten 28 Ficus hookeriana Moraceae Nebharo (Tree) Fruits thalamus, receptacles are commonly consumed 29 Ficus benghalensis Moraceae Bar (Tree) Young shoots and ripen fruits are eaten 30 Ficus lacor Moraceae Kabra (Tree) Fresh unopened leaf buds are boiled in water and used as pickle 31 Fragaria nubicola Rosaceae Bhui aiselu (Shurb) Fruits (berry) are consumed after ripening 32 Myrica esculenta Myricaceae Kafal (Tree) Ripen fruits are consumed Inflorescence and young leaves are used as vegetable, soup and 33 Girardinia diversifolia Urticaceae Bhangray Sisnu (Herb) medicine in high blood pressure 34 Gynocordia odorata Flacourtiaceae Gante (Tree) Ripen seeds are roasted and oil is extracted for consumption Inflorescence used as pickle and seeds are used as medicine during 35 Heracleum wallichii Umbelliferae Chimphing (Herb) influenza 36 Horsefieldia kingii Myrsticaceae Ramgua (Tree) Fruit are used to make jam and pickle 37 Ilex hookeri Liliaceae Lise (Tree) Ripe fruits are consumed 38 Juglans regia Juglandaceae Okhar (Tree) Fruits (kernel) are consumed 39 Magnifera sylvatica Anacardiaceae Chuchche Aanp (Tree) Ripe fruits are used for sour pickle 40 Mechilus edulis Lauraceae Lapchephal (Tree) Fruits are eaten raw Korean J. Pl. Taxon, Vol. 40, No. 1 76 Amal Kumar Ghimeray, Pankaja Sharma, Bimal Ghimire, Kabir Lamsal, Balkrishna Ghimire and Dong Ha Cho Table 1. Continued. No. Taxon Family Nepali name and habit Edible parts and mode of use 41 Moringa oleifera Moringaceae Sajana (Tree) Flowers and fruits are used to make curry 42 Morus indica Moraceae Kimbu (Tree) Berries are used to make jam, jellies and drinks 43 Musa bulbisiana Musaceae Bankera (Herb) Green fruits used as vegetable